Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Sailor...Sister?! ❯ Chaptre the Fourth ( Chapter 4 )

Meiou Residence

6 pm

Ranma stood in front of Setsuna's house.  He was nervous from what he'd said in the morning to keep the woman he loved working at Juuban High School.  His lack of thinking before speaking had caused him untold problems in Nerima, but not on this scale.  He had actually offered to marry Setsuna of his own free will.  There was no family agreement, or Amazon Kiss of Marriage hanging over him, it was his own damn fault.  When he told his mother about it after school, she was ecstatic, and had to tell Kasumi all about it.  Ranma just hung his head, and took his licks like an adult.  With a sigh, he rang the doorbell.  At least he had the right thing for it.

"Hey bro," his sister said, answering the door.

"Hi Haruka; is Setsuna in?"

"I think she's up in her room.  Come on in, I'll get her.  Make yourself at home-but don't raid the fridge."

"Thanks, sis."  Ranma vaulted on to the couch, and assumed his favorite meditative stance: eyes closed, and asleep.  Hotaru walked by and chuckled at the sight of her uncle asleep.

The senshi in question was in her room, pondering her own spin on the day's events.  She clearly hadn't seen this coming, but it would have happened sooner or later.  The vision of the future with Ranma in it was still as steady as it was last week.  To the Senshi of Time, that meant something.  What it meant right now for Crystal Tokyo, the eldest Senshi was uncertain, but it told her that her millennia of being alone were over.  Haruka knocked and told her roommate that her boy toy was here for their date. "What am I ever going to do with you," Setsuna purred in her boyfriend's ear, as she settled into his lap.  The rational portion of her mind, though, was screaming out that this wasn't normal for her.  The romantic side and her libido teamed up and told the rational side to shut up and let it ride.

"I don't know, Suna-chan," he replied.  "Maybe go out to dinner with me?"  Setsuna gave the pigtailed fighter a reproachful look.  "Aw, come on.  I even got us reservations in Harumi."

"Very well, Ranma," Setsuna said coolly, although with a smile on her face.  "I assume it's your treat?"  He shuddered when she said that, reminding him so much of Nabiki, but he nodded shakily.  Ranma'd have to work off what he'd borrowed from his mother, but come hell or high water, he'd do it.  Setsuna was having the time of her life, though.  She'd seen what her inadvertent fiancé had been through for most of his life, and was also forcing him to grow up, but she also wasn't going to let Ranma pay for dinner despite asking if it was his treat.  "Then shall we leave for the restaurant?"

Ranma stood as his inadvertent fiancée looped her arms around his neck.  "Might as well.  It's going to take awhile to roof hop to the restaurant."

In a castle dating back to the Shogunate outside of Tokyo-to, two ancient individuals were meeting in the decaying throne room.  One of the individuals, sitting on the decayed throne, was wearing robes that a Roman senator would find familiar.  The other, was wearing laminate armor more familiar to the region.  If Rei were anywhere near the castle, she would have passed out from the amount of evil emanating from the castle.  Either that or because of the skeletons walking the parapets in decayed armor and clothes in a mockery of guard duty.  "Why is it that you brought me here, Lividicus-san?"

"Tskumoto-san," the one in robes rasped, "be at ease.  You are here merely to listen to a proposal of mine.  There are certain magical items I've decided that I'd like to acquire in Tokyo."

"And what would these items be, mage?"

"Merely a crystal and a key-shaped staff."

"Why?  Because these baubles intrigue you, Lividicus-san?"

"Exactly, my dear Tskumoto-san," the lich replied, the rictus of a grin on his undead face.  "And I need your help."

The death knight looked at the mage in front of him, and laughed.  It was more of the hearty laugh than an evil cackle.  "That's the funniest thing I've heard of in a thousand years."  The look the lich gave the former samurai would have frozen the stoutest warrior.  "You don't seem to realize Lividicus-san, that there are dragons in Tokyo now.  As well as magical girls called the 'Sailor Senshi'."  The death knight reached into his armor and retrieved the Tokyo Times, Asahi Shimbun, and Weird Tokyo.  On the front page of the first two papers were fuzzy images of two dragons flying between the Sony and JVC buildings.  The cover of Weird Tokyo had a rather bad photo of the Senshi in one of their "dramatic" poses, although you couldn't identify who exactly they were.

"This could pose a problem," replied the lich, "however, that is why you have your army of undead, Tskumoto-san."

The death knight shook his head.  He had been a military strategist over a thousand years ago, and, even though cursed with undeath and immortality, kept current on the military strategy and tactics of Japan.  "You seem to have this lack of understanding, Lividicus-san that this will be a walk in the park.  Even if the dragons and the Senshi do not get involved, Japan has an effective police and military.  Two thousand years ago, even two hundred years ago, this would have been no problem; just frighten the local populace with a few skeletons, head into town and acquire what you are looking for.

"But now there is an efficient military, armed with the latest in modern weapons and well versed in tactics."

A ball of glowing magic appeared in the lich's hand.  "You will do as I bid, Samurai.  Your code of honor demands it, or I will destroy you!"

Tskumoto glared at the lich.  "I will do it, if only to prove it will be folly."  With barely a nod of his head, the death knight, spun on his heel and walked out of throne room, leaving the lich to stew in his fury.

------

Seated at one of the better establishments in Tokyo, with a view of the Imperial Palace, Ranma was fidgeting nervously.  His date for the evening had gone to the ladies' room, leaving him there to contemplate how he was going to do this.  Unfortunately for the pigtailed martial artist, she returned before he had a fully formulated plan.  Setsuna smiled at him.  "Ranma, what's wrong?"

He smiled back at her, nervously.  "Suna-chan, I didn't have a plan for this but," Ranma reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet covered box.  "I know I opened my big mouth this morning by saying the school board couldn't do anything if we were married.  I…" he paused to lick his lips and place the box on the table.  "I would be honored if you would be my wife."

Setsuna was shocked.  It was the second time in less than twenty-four hours that the Senshi of Time was surprised.  "Ranma, I don't know what to say…Of course, I'll be your wife."  She leaned over the table and kissed him, spilling his glass of water over him.  Setsuna felt the change on her fiancé, but didn't care.

Ranma broke the kiss and sat back down in her chair.  "Aw man.  I didn't want this to happen.  I've been having such luck at not being a water magnet; I just didn't want you to see this."

"Ranma," she said, as she handed her fiancée her cup of tea, "I don't care what sex you currently are.  I…I've been alone for so long that you've opened a whole new perspective for me on life.  And when I told you that I was thinking about you, I truly have been.  And I love you."

"But what about my other fiancées?  If I marry you, their honor will be destroyed because I'm supposed to marry them."

"Ranma, forget about your other fiancées.  They're the result of that lazy panda you call a father and his gluttony and lack of honor.  Would you like a solution to your problem?"  Ranma nodded.  "When we get married, take my family name.  The Meiou clan has been around since before the Fujiwara.  Your mother won't have a problem with that, I'm sure."

"She won't.  In fact, she had suggested something along those lines, although they were getting adopted out of the Saotome clan, since my worthless father has dragged their good name through the mud."  Ranma handed the cup of tea back to Setsuna, without changing back.  "Your acceptance of my condition has been the best thing that happened to me.  Well, that and my mother accepting that I'll be like this for the rest of my life."

"I'm glad to hear that Ranma," Setsuna said as she scooted her chair next the redhead.  "You realize that if the Superintendent finds out, he'll want us married by the end of the week."

"Wouldn't be the first time I heard that threat," the redhead muttered.  She looked at the older woman.  "I'll have to make a couple of phone calls.  Jeez, mom'll be thrilled."

"Your mother is a woman of great honor.  She'll see it as a means to saving your personal honor, without dishonoring your other fiancées or yourself."

Ranma smiled at the Senshi of Time.  "Good.  That's one headache, or rather four headaches, off my back.  But I gotta worn you, once they find out, we're gonna have a heck of a time keeping you safe."

Setsuna gave her fiancé a secretive smile.  "Don't worry about me Ranma.  I have ways of protecting myself."  Ranma nodded, he'd noted her fearlessness when he rescued her from the tractor.  Dinner arrived, and with a display of extremely improved table manners on the part of one of the diners, was enjoyed in companionable silence.

------

Close to the restaurant, there was a familiar face wandering by, lost as usual.  "Curse you, Ranma Saotome!  You've ruined my life.  And when I find you, I'm going to ruin your happiness."

Over dessert, Ranma shuddered; which wasn't lost on his date.  "Is something wrong, Ranma?"

"It just felt as though someone was walking over my grave.  Feh, it was probably Ryouga blaming me for his faults.  Wouldn't be the first time, and it probably won't be the last.

"You want to get out of here?"  Setsuna nodded, and Ranma signaled for the check.

When it came and Ranma reached for the debit card his mother had given him, Setsuna put her hand on his.  "Consider this my treat, Ranma."

He shrugged.  "Ok.  If you insist." 

As they left the restaurant and walked towards the Imperial palace, Setsuna's hand slipped into Ranma's.  The pigtailed martial artist felt slightly uncomfortable at first, even though he didn't show any discomfort when she kissed him at the table.  The couple talked quietly about the problems Ranma might encounter at Juuban High, the looks Setsuna will probably get from the faculty of the school, and where they were going to live.  "You realize Mom'll probably want lots of grandchildren to spoil," he said quietly.

"I do.  I hope your mother understands that I want to wait until you are at least out of high school and hopefully almost finished with college before we start having kids."  I've waited millennia for someone like Ranma.  I think I can wait a few more years.  Besides, it's not like I have a biological clock that's going to turn me into a pumpkin at midnight, even if it is ticking.  But, I think I should tell him about my night job.  He has been totally honest to me.  I need to be honest to him as well, otherwise it would make me seem like the other girls in his life.  "Ranma," she said quietly, "there is something that I need to tell you before we get married."

"What is it?"

Setsuna led him to a secluded park.  "I think it would be better here." 

As Ranma sat on the bench, a string of thoughts went through his mind.  She's got something to tell me.  I'll bet she's been to Jusenkyo, is cursed to turn into a tentacle monster, with an Amazon wife.

"Ranma, how familiar are you with the Sailor Senshi?"

"Not very.  You know what my life was like in Nerima."

"True, from what you told me, you never had a chance to just relax."  Never in her long life, had Setsuna been this nervous before.  She would take lovers and, with the aid of a minor glamour, age with them and her children.  But after watching Ranma's fight with Saffron, she realized that her fiancé had absorbed some of the godling's powers, including his immortality, even if he didn't know it yet.

She sat quietly next to her fiancé composing herself for a few moments.  "Ranma, there are nine Sailor Senshi-one for each planet except Earth-and a Prince of Earth.  Mercury, Venus, the Moon, Mars  and Jupiter are considered the Inner Senshi.  There are also four Outer Senshi: Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.  Each of the planets and their Senshi have a unique power." 

She looked extremely nervous, which threw the pigtailed martial artist for a loop.  Setsuna was a pillar of strength, in the short time that Ranma had known her and fallen in love with her.  He placed his arm across her shoulders.  "'Suna-chan, it seems you know a lot about the Senshi."  She nodded.  "And I'm sure, like those American superhero comics, they have secret identities too."  She nodded again.  What she was about to do felt like seeing that tractor-trailer barreling down on her again.  "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No, Ranma.  I have to tell you.  I don't want you worrying about me."

"I'll worry about you no matter what," Ranma said.  "Look, it's been a long day for the both of us.  Tell me after school tomorrow."  Setsuna nodded, as Ranma hugged her.

As they left the park, Ranma felt chill run down his back.  He had just enough time to push Setsuna out of the way as a ball of depressed ki came flying at them, without the usual preceding battle cry.  "You two timing bastard!  I'm going to kill you!"  With that, Ryouga charged his pigtailed nemesis.

"What the hell did I do this time," Ranma countered, backpedaling the Lost Boy's wild swings with that depleted uranium umbrella of his.

"Do I need to recount everything, bastard?"  Ryouga's attack nearly connected with his opponent.

"Oh Ranma," Setsuna said from the sidelines.  "Be careful."

"Is it because I left Akane?"  His only reply was a snarl from his opponent.  "Maybe it's because Doc Tofuu's kettle of hot water splashed you instead of me?"  ((AN: see An American Dragon in Nerima, Chapter 9 for reference))  That intensified Ryouga's attacks.

"You could have tried to stop it, Ranma," the Lost Boy countered.

"But who pretended to be Akane's pet pig, eh?  Who should have told her that they were cursed at Jusenkyo?  Who had a tattoo on their stomach that Akane noticed it was the same on P-Chan?"  Ranma continued his backpedaling, leading the fanged boy into a spiral.

"My curse had nothing to do with it.  Besides it's all your fault I got that curse in the first place."

"I told you to tell Akane when you had the chance about your curse, but you never did.  Hell, you could never tell her about how you really felt about her.  Talk about pathetic.  If you want her, you can have the psychotic spoiled bitch.  I want nothing to do with her."

Ryouga sneered.  "And now you have another in your harem.  Are you going to string her along like all the others?  Or are you sleeping with her, and going to leave her when she no longer suits your needs."

That did it; the kid gloves were off.  Ranma was willing to forgive his rival/some time friend for the Shi Shi Hokodan, but Ryouga was attacking his fiancée's honor, as well as his.  And that was something that Ranma cherished above all else.

From the sidelines, Setsuna cringed as the beating that her fiancé was giving his rival.  It was fiercer than anything Uranus or Jupiter dished out, and they were the best martial artists she knew.  The only other time she'd seen Ranma go all out was in the Time Gates with Saffron.  She could hear bones breaking, as Ranma let Ryouga have it.

For the fanged Lost Boy, this was the worst pounding he'd ever received; even worse than when the Old Ghoul taught him the Bakusai Tenketsu.  He gratefully passed out from the pain and collapsed to the ground.

Ranma ran over to his fiancée.  "Are you alright," he asked, concern evident in his voice.

"Yes, I am," she replied.  "That was close."  She looked at the young man passed out on the sidewalk.  "I assume that was Ryouga?"

"Yeah.  I think he's now blaming me for an incident that happened at the Tendos."  Ranma smiled as he remembered the look on both Ryouga's and Akane's faces.  "He was in being held by Akane, as P-Chan, when he got hit by a kettle of hot water.  He changed right in front of her, hell right in her arms.  Suffice to say, Akane was not pleased.  In fact, she was downright pissed about it."

Setsuna looked at him.  "So does he have a legitimate gripe against you?"

"Yes and no.  In a roundabout way, I caused him to be cursed.  But he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  For once, Murphy's Law worked for me."

Setsuna nodded.  She had figured as much.  "Ranma, I'd like to go home now."

"Sure, Suna-chan," Ranma replied.  Picking his fiancée up in his arms, the pigtailed martial artist leapt into the air.